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U.S. Orders Probe into Toyota's Prius Brake Problem

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Feb. 4 it would "look into allegations of momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump."

NHTSA, part of the Transportation Department, said it had received 124 reports from consumers, "including four reports alleging that crashes occurred" on Prius, which is the world's most popular hybrid car.

"Investigators have spoken with consumers and conducted pre-investigatory field work," the agency said.

"Safety is our top priority," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "That is why in recent weeks NHTSA has also issued a consumer advisory on the recall of several models of Toyota vehicles and the Pontiac Vibe involving pedal entrapment and sticky accelerator pedals. We will continue to monitor these issues closely."

The news on Prius came after a rash of complaints about its braking system and followed a global recall of millions of cars over faults linked to the accelerator pedals.